Foxtel and Screenrights today confirmed the terms of a new five-year deal, which covers payment of royalties for Foxtel’s retransmission of free to air (FTA) broadcasts.
This arrangement is made possible by and is subject to the provisions of Part VC of the Australian Copyright Act.
Foxtel and Screenrights were parties to a Retransmission Remuneration Deed, which commenced on 30 August 2006 and expired on 31 December 2013.
Screenrights Chief Executive Simon Lake said he was pleased with the outcome. “It’s good news for our members, rightsholders in film, television and radio, who will continue to receive a fair fee.
“The Part VC statutory licence for retransmission plays an important role in Australia’s media landscape. It has helped facilitate a range of diverse services in the television sector by ensuring access to free to air broadcasts.”
Foxtel’s Group Director – Corporate Affairs, Bruce Meagher, said “We are pleased that we were able to reach agreement with Screenrights in relation to this matter and we look forward to working with Screenrights over the course of our agreement”.
Retransmission royalties are generated when free to air television or radio broadcasts are retransmitted across a different network. This is because provisions in the Australian Copyright Act (Part VC) allow broadcasts of copyright material to be retransmitted in Australia provided the retransmitter pays a royalty to the copyright owners.
Screenrights has been appointed by the Australian Government to administer these provisions, with royalties payable to rightsholders in programs that have been retransmitted since 2001. Screenrights is the declared collecting society for all relevant copyright owners under section 135ZZT of the Australian Copyright Act.